Mail-marking machine.



A. IELFIELD. MAVIL MARKING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 19. ms.

Patented Oct. 23, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET l- VENTDR' ATTURNEYfi' A. IELFIEL D. MA|[ MARKING MACHINE. APPLICATION HLEDMAR. 19. ms.

Patented Oct. 23, 1917'.

l VENTDR."

ATTORNEYE;

UNITED STATES PATENT oar-ion.

AUGUST IELFIELD, OF SILVER CREEK, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO COLUMBIA POSEEAL SUPPLY GGMPANY, 0F SILVER CREEK, NE'W YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MAIL-MARKING- MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 23, 1917.

Division in part of application Serial No. 828,499, filed March 31, 1914. This application filed March 19,

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, AUGUs'r IELFIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Silver Creek, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail-Marking Machines, of which the following is a specifica-tion.

This invention relates to a mail marking machine and is partly a division of an a I) plication for patent filed March 31, 19 4, Serial #828,499.

T he object of this invention is to provide simple and efiicient means for preventing reboundor back lash of the printing wheel or head when the movement of the same is arrested at the end of a rotation and thereby notonly permitting of using less friction for driving the head so that the same may be started easier :but also depreasing the liability of mutilating or bending the letters at the front edge thereof which engages the trip mechanism as well as permitting the machine to be turned backward while getting the. same ready without liability ,of getting ink on the impression member which opposes the printing wheel.

A further object of this invention is to improve the means for mounting the print ing mechanism and also to improve the means for guiding the letters as they pass the printing mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a mail marking machine embodying my improve ments. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan, view on an enlarged scale and partly in section, of the printing wheel and the stop mechanism associated therewith. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary transverse section, on an enlarged scale, taken in line 33, Fig. 1. Figs. .e' and 5 are fragmentary vertical longitudinal sections, on an enlarged scale, taken in the correspondinglynumbered lines in Fig. 1 and looking in the .directionvof the arrows associated with these lines. Fig.

6 is a fragmentary vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of the stop device forming part of the mechanismr whereby the backward and forward rotation of .the

printing wheeler die head is arrested at the cumpletion, of a rotation Qf {the same.

Serial No. 15,450.

Fig. 7 a bottom plan view thereof, partly in section. Fig. 8 is a vertical section'ot' the die head or printing wheel and the pivotal support of the same. Fig. 9 is a horizontal section of the same taken in line 99, Fig. 8.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several news.

1 represents the supporting table provided at one end with a delivery portion or section 2 upon which the letters 3 to be can celed are placed side by side with their lower edges resting thereon, and a receiving portion 4 arranged at the other end of the table and adapted to receive the letters after they have been marked or canceled. The inner side ofthe stack of unmarked letters is adapted to rest partly against a longitudinal guide wall 6 which is mounted on the table and the front edges of these letters are adapted to engage with a transverse abutment, wall 7 also mounted on the table. The inner end of this transverse wall and the front end of the longitudinal wall are separated from each other by an intervening throat, passageor space through which the letters are delivered one at a time from the inner end of the supply stack.

The mechanism whereby the letters are fed forwardly from the stack, to the printing mechanism, and to the receiving section of the table preferably comprises a ca1nshaped feeding wheel 8 projecting with the inner part of its peripheral portion beyond the inner side of the longitudinal wall 6 and mounted on the upper end of anupright spindle or arbor 9 which is journaled in a suitable bearing on an. adjacent part of the machine. Upon rotatingthe feeding wheel in the direction of the arrow associatedwith the same in Fig. 1 the salient part of its face engagessuccessively' with the foremost letters of the stack on the deliverysection of the table-and moves the a same forwardly from the. stack and through the throat between the longitudinal guide 2 same is mounted upon the periphery effected by a feeding belt 10 which passes forwardlyaround the inner side of a rear supporting pulley 11. which turns with the feeding wheel. 8, thence lengthwise past the printing mechanism and in engagement with the inner side of the periphery of a comparatively large impression and driving wheel 12, thence around a front supporting pulley 84 which is arranged adjacent to the receiving sectionof the table and mounted on an upright pivot pin arranged on the adjacent part of the table, thence laterally and around the outer side of the driving and impresison wheel 12 and thence back to the rear supporting pulley at the place of beginning. The driving and impression wheel 12 is mounted on an upright shaft 21 which is journaled in a suitable bearing on the adjacent part of the main frame and may be turned by any suitable means, for instance by a hand or crank 22 secured to the upper side of this wheel.

Only one letter at a time is permitted to pass forward from the supply stack through. the feed threat by means of separator 23 which is arranged with its free edge close to the face of the feeding belt 10 in front of the feeding wheel 8 and rear supporting pulley and yieldingly supported in any suitable manner, so that but one letter at a time can pass this separator while the remaining letters of the supply staclgare held back.

As each letter issues frrim the throat the same is operated upon by a printing mechanism which produces a postmark or cancellation thereon and which is preferably constructed as follows:

43 represents a fixed upright pivot pin, spindle or arbor arranged on the left hand side of the path of the letters and provided with a reduced upper portion forming an upwardly facing shoulder at, as shown in Mounted upon this reduced upper part of the spindle 13 and resting on the shoulder 44 thereof is a driving sleeve 45 which is provided at its lower-end which rests on the shoulder M with an annular driving flange or disk 146 which engages'its periphery with the face of the feeding belt adjacent tothelower edge of the latter, as shown in Fig. 3.

The printing wheel or die head forming one member of the printing couple of the printing mechanism comprises a body 47 having a cylindrical opening whereby the of the driving sleeve 45, a lower friction disk 18 secured to the lower end of the body and enga ing frictionally with the upper side of the. driving disk 46,- an upper supporting disk 49 secured to the upper end of the body and type 50 arranged on the periphery of the body and adapted to iin 'ress the letter with the nameflof a post 0 ce,"the.dat'e of mailing, canceling litres or' other mtt'eii of a spring "proper 1 ,eeagmo The driving sleeve and disk are rotated con.- tinuously by the feeding belt, and-the printing wheel, when free also rotates in the same direction as the driving sleeve and disk, this movement being imparted to the printing wheel by connecting the same with the driving sleeve. The preferred means for effecting this coni'lection between the printing wheel and the driving sleeve comprises a radially movable friction bar or key 51 guided in a radial guide-way "or slot 52 formed lengthwise in. the body of the printing wheel. and opening into the bore thereof, and a spring 53 interposed between the outerside of the friction bar and the outerside of the guideway 52 and operating to press the friction bar inwardly so that its inner side engages frictionally with the periphery of the driving sleeve. The frictional contact or engagement of this bar 51 with the driving sleeve is su'l'licient to cause the printing wheel to rotate with the sleeve 45 the instant that the printing wheel. is released by a letter controlled stop device.

This time stop mechanism is preferably constructed as follows:

5 1 represents a stop lever pivoted to turn horizontally upon a pin 55 mounted on the upper side of the printing wheel on one side of the axis thereof. This step lever is yieldingly held in its operative position by means 56 connected at one end with the upper side of the printing wheel and at its other end with the stop lever, the extent of the rearward movement of this lever under the action of this spring being limited by means of a stop pin or shoulder 57 on the stop lever enga gin with a stop pin or shoulder 58 on top 0 the printing wheel, as shown in Fig. 2. On one arm of the stop lever the same provided with a rotatable stop or shoulder which is preferably constructed in the form of a pin projecting upwardly from this arm, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5. In the rearmost position of this stop lever its stop 59 is moved radially outward relative to the axis of the printing wheel and into a position in which it engages with a fixed stop 60 which is constructed in the forin of a pin depending from. the underside of a horizontal supporting arm 61. The latter is capable of horizontal adjustment by providing the same with a sleeve which is secured by means of a set screw 62 to the upper end of a post 63. By this means the fixed stop 60 may be accurately adjusted for arresting the stop lever and printing wheel connected therewith at the time and it also permits of removing the fixed stop from above the printin wheel. and associated mechanism to afforeinore convenient access to these parts'wh'en same becomes necessary.

' On the other arm of the stoplever 'i'spiv a inoul'ited a horizontally swinging trip j'leiy'er (it'thef rear arm-of which is provided Witha laterallyprojected shifting finger .65 1 i which is adaptedito projeota'cross the letter path and to be engaged by'the front edges:

ofjsnccessive 'letters." This'trip'leyeris yield inglyfheldin this position by meansofa' spring; 66 connecting the front arm of the a in which theylowreeedingfor blank part of the printing'wheel body havi'ngno die or typeface is presented togthe feedingbelt. v .VVhenever alet'ter' issues from the throat --and strikes. the shifting fingerithe latter will 3, be moved forwardly under the impact ofjthe 3'0 iietter whereby the stop Clever Will be turned engaged from the" fixed shoulder 60, as showngin 1 35312; thereby liberating the ];)"rinting wheel and permitting thesame' to turn with the driving friction disk by reason of the frictional contact between these parts and cansi'ngthe dieor type faeeof the printing heel or die head to be brought into engagement With the letter as the same passes forwardly betiveenthe printing wheel and the feeding belt for producing a post mark or canceling impression thereon. When the printing Wheel after making an innijn'essi'on on a letter has completed one rotation the sai'neis again arrested by the stop lever Which latter. has in'the Ineantii'ne been again ;moved into its outward position so that its movable stop shouIderiiS) engages ivith the fixed sl'1oul'der60 of the stoparm (ill 'Thisarrest of the" rotary movement of the printing wheel. after making one complete rotation occurs regardless of whether Y'- ntt tl letter which has just. been canany clearedthe path ofthe shift- -If the letter ust operated upon be carried icr ssf the letter a POSltlOn preparatory g engage or again rel 'ng' the printing heel of canceling v yet ,cleared thefpath g finger thesi me will simply 'plished by means of an ink roller 85 which v is supported so that its periphery isien-J j gaged "by the {die or type face of the print- 1 i'n'g" Wheel duringfea'ch rotation; The pivot that its stop shoulder 59 engages With'the impression and driving-Wheel; this being preferably a'cconipllshed by means of a red the path of the shifting finger the next following let-f v V its lower end by a horiaontally swinging But if the.

v yield gly'againstyt-h'e adjacent face of v to trip lever and 111love" thefshifting finger a cross the path of the letters the instant, the end of the previous letter clears the path oftlie shifting finger. I The inking of the die (oi-type"faceof the printing Wheel is preferably accolfn-i pin t'i s'upporting" the printing Wheel and HSS OQlHtBCl parts is inounte'cl'onthe free end] 8'0 of a horizontallyswinging-supporting arin S7 yv'hic'ih is arranged underneath the table- 1 and is pivotally secured to thennderside thereofby neans of *ade'pendingfpin or arbor 89 carried by the table, as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. Ihis arm is yieldingly I turned in a direction which will InoIve the printing wheel toivard the feedingbelt and 9'0 spring 90 connecting this arm" with a" suit-I" able statlonary part ofthe=n1ach1ne.' :The I post *63 carrying the supporting a' i-mjdl =is':

mounted atits lower end oii a l11 g'93 formed on the SUPPOIfiiIlg arm '87. The ink roller is mounted on one arm of'a lever which turnsabont the upright post '63 and rest upon a shelf 96 Whit-Th secured to this post, as sl'iown in Fig. This inki g roller is held in its adjusted position'rela-' tivelsy to the printing wheel bymeans of a clainpingscrew 97 secured to said shelf and passing through a slot 9Sintheother arrnl of theinkroller lever, as shown "in Figs. 1 and 5. 'llheletters are guided as they appreach the-printing position and leave 'the same byfnieans which preferably ooniprise upper and lower-front guiderollers 99 ,100 engaging- With the periphery of the impres sion and driving Wheel in rear ofthe printing Wheel and a front guidero'ller 1:01 en gaging with the impression and driving Wheel in front of the printing Wheel. The rear guide rollers 99, 100' are inrmnted-onan. upright pin 102 which is carried at its lower end on the free endof a-"horizrmtallyswinging supporting arm 103Qpivoted on the 'pin upon whichthe printing Wheel is mount 101- is mrmnted "on the upper end; of an upright pin. 105 'Whieh latter 'is-carried at arm 106 which is pivoted on the underside of the table;

This front supporting HIIH iS turned by means of aspiring-1107 in aid-ireetion for yieldingly holding the frontguide; roller in engagement 'With the periphery Uf the impression and driving wheel- The space between the front and rear guide rollers above the printing wheel is bridged so as tohold the letters in proper engagement with the: periphery of the impression and feeding wheel on the latter past the print lng position.

This bridging is I preferably produced by means of a guide bar 108 arranged adjacent to the upper part of the periphery of the impression and drivingwheel and pivotally supported at its front and rear ends on the upper ends of the pivot pins 102, 105 upon which the front and rear guide rollers aremounted. In addition to this the central parts of the letters are guided as they approach the printing position by means of a guide plate 109 mounted 110 at its on'the-central part of the front pivot pin 102 and projecting forwardly toward the printing wheeland provided with a, notch front edge through which the trip lever can project for bringing its shifting finger across the path of the letters. It has been found in practice that when no provision is madeto prevent it the impact of the movable stop 59 ,on the stop lever against the stationary stop 60 for arresting the rotation of the printing wheel or die head will cause the latter to rebound .or back lash more or less at times and thereby cause the post mark or cancellation to be imperfectly applied to the letters which are being handled. To prevent this means are provided whereby the printing wheel'upon being arrested at the end of a rotation is prevented from kicking back or rebounding in the manner described but practice and as there shown these vmeans preferably comprise a locking dog 7 0 which has its front end arranged in rear of the fixed stop 60 and in the path of the movable stop '59 of the stop lever. This dog is arranged in a guide groove 71 formed on the underside of the supporting arm 61 and is pivoted adjacent to its rear end on this arm bymeans of a horizontal pin 72. The dog is heldyieldingly with its free front end in a depressed position by a spring 73' interposed between theuppe'r side .ofthe free front end of the dog and. a pocket 7 4 formed in the bottomof the guide groove 71. The extent of the downward movement of the front end of this locking dog under the action of this spring 73 is limited by formingv its forward rotation withthe printing wheel upon completing a cycle of operations,-th e stop pin 59 of this lever engages against the underside of the, locking dog and lifts the. sameinto the guide groove 71 but the instant this movable stop 59, engages the fixed stop GQit also clearsthe front end of the lockingdog at which time thespring 73' depresses the locking dog so that the front end of the latterengages with the rear side of the movable stop 59, and thereby prevents thestop lever from backingaway or 1 rebounding fromthefixed stop 60. 'As a of thestop pm of the stop lever and to engage withthe same without permitting any undue play between these partsthe front end of this dog is curved vertically, as shown at 76 in Fig. 7. For'the purpose of increasing the bearing surface of the front end of the locking dog the same is constructed of concave form to fit the cylindrical contour of the stop 59, asshown at 77in,Fig. ,7,and thereby increase the wear ofthese parts, g p Inasmuch as the supporting. arm 61 is'a'rranged tangentially relatively to the printing'wheel and the stop pin 59 of the stop lever 54 sweeps the underside of the locking dog on a curve which is concentric with the axis of the printing-wheel the underside of the locking dog is provided with an oblique bevel face 78 which. is substantially concentric with the axis of the printing wheel. By. thismeans themovable stop pin 59 enabled to engage the locking dog easily and to raise the same gradually. without undue jar, noise or wear. 1 By the use of this locking dog less friction is required between the die head or printing wheel and the driving friction disk for properly turning the printing wheel and less power is required for driving the mail marking machine. By reason of this reduced frictional contact between these parts it is. possible to start, the turning movement of the printing wheel much easier, thereby decreasing the liabilitv of mutilating or bending the front edges of the letters as they engage with the trip fingen, Furthermore, by means of this locking dog it is possible to holdtheprinting wheel or die head reliably against backward movement and this permits of turning the machine backward while getting the same ready or adjusting some of its partsv without liability of getting ink on the impression wheeler feeding belt which otherwise would be liable to occur." if there were. relative disarinteger) 5B ran emem of'the pa'rts and therefore cause; vent backwardmovement'ot the same and some of the letters which are subsequently the'printing wheel when saidv movable stop canceled to be smeared on the back. engages. said fixedstoprandafikedsupport- Asftheiwletters issue from the printing ing" arm;on =whicli-saldg fixedystop and said mecha they areydirected against the movable locking dog are mounted; f 1 '70- -'front".side ofalongitudinal guide wall 80 l 4; Ainail marking machinecomprisingia v i arrangedadjacent totheface of the front rotatable 'printing'wheehl akstop lever 'pilv discharge portion of "thehfeed'ing belt' by oted on the printing Wheel-and provided o'n meansl'of anjinclinedguide 81H projecting its upper side witl i a rotatable stop, a trip laterally from, the rearend of this guide arm pivotedon'the 'stop lever and provided {7 5' ll zacross' the path "of the letters.- The withafinger adapt/ed tor projecttintothe let onward movement of these letters is arter path and to-be'engaged and shifted by a estedrby engagement'of" their front ends letter moving therein, a snpporting arl'n ar: g vwith a transverse abutment "wall 82 arrangedabovethepath of said stopleverandf ranged on the adjacent part ofthe table. provided on itsjundersidewithkadependingf 80 As each letter reaches the receiving part of fixed stop which is adapted to beengaged, the table-t-he same is pushed laterally away by the front side ofsaid rotatable stop'andfromthe longitudinal wall 80 so as to clear said arm also provided with a guide groove the path for the next following letters by which opens downwardly,"and a locking dog a 3 v means of a stacker which preferably com arrangedin said groove and pivoted on said 85 v prises two stacker arms or cams 83,m0un't-' supporting arm to swing vertically "and" on diametrically opposite sides of the adapted to engage its front end with the 'uper portion'of the front belt pulley 84 rear side ofsaid rotatablestop. an adaptedto engage successively with the 5. A mailmarking "machine comprising a letters; The Stack of letter 0n he T 91": rotatable printing wheel, a stop leverpi va ing" ortion of the tableis piled up ag f oted on the printing wheel and provided 011" the ollower 185-Wh1ch$1s capable f f l e its upper side with a rotatable stop, a trip verse sliding movement Jon the adjacent larm plvobed on the stopv lever and provided part of the table, i with a finger adapted to projectinto the 1 Y r I" claim as my inventions I letter path andito be'engaged'and shifted I v IPA-mail marking machine COIIIPIlSlIlg a by a letter. moving therein, a supportingarm I rotatable printing wheel, a fixed stop, a stop arranged above the path ofsaid stop lever; 1 lever pivotedyon, said wheeland provided and provided on its underside with a de-Y 1 with a'rotatable stop adapted to engage said pending fixed stopwhich isadaptediito be i I a 1 fixed stop, atrip arm pivoted on saidstop engaged by the front side of said rotatable v1 u lever and provided with a finger adapted to stop and said arm also provided with a be engage by a letter moving in the letter guidegroove which opens downwardly, and v path for disengaging said rotatable stop a locking dogarranged in saidgroove o om said fixed stop, and meansfor prevent v pivoted on said supporting arm to swing: ing backward rotation-of said wheel and asvertically and adapted to engage itsfront sociated parts when said movable stop en-i end withthe rear side of said rotatable stop, gages said fixed stop. I a spring for yieldingly holding said dogin I 2. A mail marking machine comprising a its operative depressed positiomjand avstop v rotatable printing. Wheel, afixed stop,astop tail arranged on. said dog. and adapted to lever pivoted on said Wheel and provided 7 engage saidsupporting arm tolimit the de- .110, withlarotatable stop adapted to engage "said scent of said looking dog. ffixed sto ,a trip arm pivoted on said'estop-i 6. A; mail marking machine comprising a y a I lever, an provided with a finger adapted to pivotedprinting wheel, a stoplever pivoted p be engagedby a letter moving-in the letter on said wheel' on one side of the axis oftlie;

a. at'h for disengaglng said rotatable stop same and having a stopshoulder, a trip lerom'saidfixed stop, and a movable locking, ver pivoted onthe stop leverandadapted to 1 'dog'adapted to engage saidstop lever'alnd I be shifted-by aletter, and a stationary stop i a prevent backward movement of the same arranged above said wheel independently of a and the printing wheelwhen said movable the pivot thereof-andadapted to'befengaged @pengages said-fixed P- v by said shoulder ofthe stop lever. i 1-20 "3. A mailmarking machine comprising a A mail marking machine comprising rotatable printingwheel, a fixed stop, a stop a pivoted printing wheel, a stop leverpiv-,

lever pivoted on said wheel and provided oted on said wheel on one side of thejaxis with a rotatable stop'adapted to engage said of the same and having" a fstopshoulder, a "fixedfsto a trip arm pivoted on said-stop trip lever pivoted on'the stop lever and .125 Llevor an provided with a finger adapted to adapted tobe shifted byaletter, a stationary .e be engaged by a letter moving inthe letter .stop arranged above said wheel indepe nv path' for disengaging sald rotatableq stop 7 ently of thepivotthereofand adaptedtobe m sa ld fixed stop, a movable locking dog engaged by 'sa'd shoulder "of they t p l v I engage sa d stop-lever and prean arm supporting stationarystop,and

guide aipost on which said arm is adjustably mounted. Q I

v v 8; A mail marking machine comprising a printing wheel, an impression wheel cooperating with said printing wheel, guide rollers arranged in. front and in rear of said printsaid impression a guide bar connecting; the pivots of said rollers and .extending'along the pe riphery of said impression wheel.

9. A mail marking machine comprising a printing wheel, an impression wheel cooperating with Said said ink roller while its; 7 slot, and a clamping screw arranged in said slot'and secured printing wheel, a swinging arm provided with a pin on which said printing wheel is pivoted, a letter operated stop lever pivoted-on said printing wheel on one side of its axis,'a supporting post mounted on said arm, a supporting arm mounted onsaid post: and having a stop adapted to-be engaged by said stop arm, a

shelf mounted on said post, an inking roller engaging said'printing wheel, an ink lever restingon said shelf and pivoted on said post andhaving one of its armssupporting to said shelf. v AUGUST IELFIELD,

1 copies at this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing tjthe Comni ssi6ner of Patents.

Washington, D O.

other arm has a 

